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Claude-joseph
Claude Joseph
Onyeka-nwelue
Onyeka Nwelue
Nkiru-njoku
Nkiru. Njoku

African and Caribbean Voices

James Currey, Claude Joseph, Onyeka Nwelue and Nkiru. Njoku Chaired by Dan Hicks

Saturday, 26 March 2022

12:00pm

1 hour

Weston Lecture Theatre

£7 - £12.50

Former publisher James Currey, Haitian politician Dr Claude Joseph, writer and academic Onyeka Newlue, and writer-director Nk’iru Njoku discuss the history of the Africa-focused publisher James Currey Publishing, its efforts to promote African and Caribbean voices, and the work to continue its legacy at the University of Oxford’s African Studies Centre.

James Currey Publishing was founded in 1984 by South African James Currey after he had spent a decade pioneering Heinemann’s African Writers Series. It is now part of Boydell and Brewer and publishes books by leading figures in African studies and by new authors. It works with co-publishers to ensure wide circulation for the books. The James Currey Society was founded at the African Studies Centre by Nwelue. It aims to make the work of Currey known through workshops, conferences, prizes and residences. It runs the James Currey Prize for African Literature, James Currey Fellowship, James Currey writing and publishing workshops, and the James Currey Literary Festival.

Currey has been called the ‘godfather of African literature’. He studied at Oxford before going on to work for Oxford University Press and Heinemann. At his OUP interview he was asked to pick a country to go to and chose South Africa. Joseph is a former assistant visiting professor at University of Connecticut and a Haitian politician who served as minister of foreign affairs and acting Prime Minister of Haiti. Nwelue is a filmmaker, talk-show host, writer, bookseller, teacher and academic visitor at the University of Oxford African Studies Centre He is also advisor to the festival’s programme of African literature and culture. Nwelue’s aunt Flora Nwapa has been called the ‘mother of modern African literature’ and was the first African woman novelist to be published in the English language in Britain by Currey under the Heinemann African Writers Series. Njoku is a writer-director, who was the head writer on the Nigerian soap Tinsel for seven years and was on the 2021 BBC London Voices scheme. Her short film Oriki won the women in film award at the Black Star International Film Festival in Ghana.

Discussions are chaired by Professor Dan Hicks, author of The Brutish Museums: the Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution, described by Ben Okri as ‘an important book which could overturn what people have felt about British history, empire, civilisation, Africa, and African art’.

This event is part of the festival’s programme of African literature and culture.

Event sponsored by

FT Weekend Title partner University of Oxford Netflix European Union Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme BBC World Service International radio partner Owen Mumford Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Spanish Embassy Event generously supported by the Spanish Embassy Cervantes Institute, London Republic of Panama Event generously supported by Republic of Panama Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner International Literary Properties Supporters of the festival green room Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels Sponsor of the festival crime fiction programme The Feathers Hotel Woodstock festival hotel John Roberts Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture Emily Rose and James Marrow Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Miles Young Masumi and Jonathan Dobson George Warren Pank Koria CEO of Project People Lucian Hudson Carole and John Allen David Isaac Jill Dunsmore Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Anna Hunter Marlene Hauser Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival New College Worcester College Worcester College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Trinity College Trinity College Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner TORVA Books which change you, your mind, your world Transworld Doubleday Doubleday Bantam Jewish Book Week Partner of Jewish programme Foodbuy Thje Menu Partners Institute of Hospitality Project People Royal Academy of Arts British Academy Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Conference Oxford Felicity Bryan Associates CAV Oxford Critchleys Accountants to the festival The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford Brookes University Siren Communications Siren Communications - corporate consultants OX magazine Ox in a Box K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Chêne Bleu Wines of Provence La Leccia Flip through Flanders Literature Ireland Confucius Institute Pusey House James Currey Society The Wild Geese
 

FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

FT Weekend Title partner University of Oxford Netflix European Union Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme BBC World Service International radio partner Owen Mumford Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Spanish Embassy Event generously supported by the Spanish Embassy Cervantes Institute, London Republic of Panama Event generously supported by Republic of Panama Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner International Literary Properties Supporters of the festival green room Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels Sponsor of the festival crime fiction programme The Feathers Hotel Woodstock festival hotel John Roberts Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture Emily Rose and James Marrow Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Miles Young Masumi and Jonathan Dobson George Warren Pank Koria CEO of Project People Lucian Hudson Carole and John Allen David Isaac Jill Dunsmore Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Anna Hunter Marlene Hauser Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival New College Worcester College Worcester College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Trinity College Trinity College Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner TORVA Books which change you, your mind, your world Transworld Doubleday Doubleday Bantam Jewish Book Week Partner of Jewish programme Foodbuy Thje Menu Partners Institute of Hospitality Project People Royal Academy of Arts British Academy Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Conference Oxford Felicity Bryan Associates CAV Oxford Critchleys Accountants to the festival The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford Brookes University Siren Communications Siren Communications - corporate consultants OX magazine Ox in a Box K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Chêne Bleu Wines of Provence La Leccia Flip through Flanders Literature Ireland Confucius Institute Pusey House James Currey Society The Wild Geese